MANILA, Philippines -- An officer who served as aide-de-camp to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is among the 10 outstanding policewomen of the Philippines who were recognized in awarding ceremonies at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Thursday.

Chief Inspector Claire Cudal, now the police community precinct commander of Don Bosco in Tondo, Manila, was recognized for her efforts in maintaining peace and order in an area she called a "hoodlum lair."

Cudal, the only woman PCP commander in Manila, said she has had to work 24/7 because she has no deputy.

A mother of two, Cudal's husband is an overseas Filipino worker and she said she has had to work hard to balance her duty as a police officer and her role as a mother.

Despite this, there has been a decrease in robberies and an increase in illegal firearms and drug apprehensions in the 27 Tondo barangays covered by her precinct.

Cudal finished third in the “Magilas” class of 2000 at the Philippine National Police Academy.

The next year, she was assigned to be Arroyo’s aide, a post she held for a year.

"Gawin natin ang trabaho natin. ‘Pag ginawa natin trabaho natin, huwag natin iisipin na bibigyan ng parangal. Isipin natin na mas maganda kung meron tayong matutulungan (Let’s do our jobs. When we do our jobs, let us not think of the honors we may reap. Let us think that it is good to be able to help others)," Cudal said.

Established in 2001, the TOPWP recognizes and honors policewomen who have shown exceptional performance in the different fields of police work.

Also earning the honor is Senior Inspector Charity Galvez, who, as police chief of Trento, Agusan del Sur, led her men in repulsing around 200 New People's Army guerrillas who attacked their station last year.